This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to movable and propelled toys.
Over the years, numerous toy rockets, toy aircraft and toy vehicles have been developed, which have met with varying degrees of success. Many types of firecrackers and rockets with ignition wicks have been launched for firework displays and on other occasions. Firecrackers and ignition rockets are often propelled with combustible chemicals which create an intense exothermic reaction upon ignition that generate flames and a great amount of heat. Combustible fuels provide propulsion by the rapid expansion of flammable fuel as the fuel is burned at elevated temperatures. Such firecrackers and ignition rockets can cause explosion and fires which can be dangerous for the people launching the firecrackers and rockets, as well as injure spectators. Furthermore, such firecrackers and rockets can cause fires in trees, shrubbery, lawns, homes, and other buildings. Some toy rockets have been propelled by compressed gas, such as with carbon dioxide (CO2) cartridges. Rockets propelled by compressed gas can also be very dangerous, puncture objects, and harm people. Toy rockets can also be propelled by compression springs but usually do not go very high. Springs in toy rockets are usually mechanically set and triggered through a mechanical release mechanism. Spring-driven rockets, however, can cause eye injuries and be very dangerous.
Toy airplanes have been made of balsa wood and plastic. Some toy airplanes have plastic propellers which are attached to a rubber band. The rubber band can be wound by manually turning and rotating the propeller. When the rubber band is wound, the airplane can be released to fly. Toy airplanes have also been powered by internal combustion engines by using flammable fuel such as gasoline or oil. These fuels can cause fires and explosions when not properly handled, and emit noxious vapors. These toy airplanes are often remotely controlled and can be very dangerous if not operated by skilled people.
Toy gliders have been built of balsa wood. Toy gliders are typically launched with a sling shot, catapult or rubber band.
Toy vehicles have been constructed of metal and plastic. Some toy fire engines have free spinning wheels which can be manually pushed by children. Spring-loaded toy cars can be propelled after the coiled springs are wound and released. Battery driven electric cars are also available for children. Some battery driven cars can be operated by remote control. Many toy vehicles can damage furniture and injure children if not properly handled.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide improved propulsion toys, such as toy rockets, aircraft and vehicles, which overcome many, if not most, of the preceding problems.
Improved propulsion toys are provided which are safe, reliable, and fun. Advantageously, the child-friendly toys are easy-to-use, sturdy, and economical. Desirably, the attractive toys can be readily propelled for impressive distances and have great appeal for both children and adults.
The novel toys each have a base unit comprising an electromagnetic coil and a circuit to energize the coil. Desirably, the coil cooperates with the circuit to provide a magnetic impulse reaction system or engine. The circuit can include a capacitor connected in parallel to the coil. In the preferred form, the coil comprises only a single induction coil.
The novel toys also feature a projectile comprising propulsion device which is electromagnetically propelled by and away from the coil of the base unit. For protection of children and onlookers, the propulsion device preferably has an elastomeric body with a resilient nose. The projectile preferably has a magnetically attractable propellant. In the illustrated embodiments, the magnetically attractable propellant is movable and positioned within a propulsion tube of the projectile.
Advantageously, the propulsion devices can take the form of a toy rocket, a toy airplane, a toy glider, a wheeled vehicle toy, e.g. a toy automobile (car) or a toy sports utility vehicle, or a toy bullet for use with a toy gun. The resilient rounded nose of the propulsion device can be rounded and convex and is preferably made of sponge rubber, foam rubber, or foam rubber-like plastic, to provide a cushion which absorbs impact forces and is soft so as to be completely safe for children, as well as spectators.
A preferred base unit of the novel toys comprise a visual signaling device which is operatively associated with the circuit to emit a light when the propulsion device is being propelled by the coil. In the preferred embodiments, the visual signaling device comprises a flash tube which is connected in series with the inductive coil of the magnetic impulse reaction circuit. Preferably, the flash tube and inductive coil are placed in parallel with a capacitor or charge storage device capable of providing a large current for a very short period of time. When the flash tube is triggered, the stored charges are quickly dissipated through the flash tube and the inductive coil. This action produces a very short, but highly intense magnetic field or magnetic impulse(s), along with a simultaneous flash of light. The magnetic impulse(s) acts upon the movable magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material) inside the propulsion tube in a manner similar to a magnetic field acting upon the bar in a solenoid, to draw the magnetic material through the coil. The magnetic field of the coil quickly disappears, and dissipates, but the movable magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material) in the compulsion tube is drawn through the coil and propelled to the body of the propulsion device with sufficient momentum and force to propel the projectile away from the coil of the base unit. Since the amount and direction of acceleration and propulsion of the projectile depends upon the strength of the magnetic field and the amount of time it is applied to the magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material), the propulsion force and acceleration can be controlled by the circuit.
The electromagnetic impulse reaction system can provide propulsion by storing the energy in capacitors at an elevated voltage. Triggering can be electronic and does not require the use of mechanical devices. Electronic safety devices can also be used to prevent false triggering.
Propulsion can be achieved by very rapidly releasing the stored charge in the capacitors through a flash tube and an inductive coil. The rapid discharge produces a magnetic impulse(s) that propels the magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material) in the propulsion tube through the center of the coil. If the coil is securely held stationary and not allowed to move, the projectile will receive the maximum force when the magnetic impulse is applied by the magnetic impulse reaction system. Virtually no heat is generated by the magnetic impulse reaction engine in order to prevent explosions and fires. The danger of injury and harm is also prevented with the inventive toys by the use of a projectile.
In the preferred form, only a single inductive coil is used. In some circumstances, however, it may be desirable to use more than one coil. Furthermore, safety coils can also be used to brake or decrease the speed of the projectile, if it is desired to do so.
The toy and the circuit in the base unit can also include one or more audible signaling devices (audible generators) such as a speaker(s). In the preferred form, the audible signaling device(s) emits one sound when the circuit is charging, another sound when the circuit is charged and the projectile is ready to be fired, and a third sound when the projectile is shot (launched). The sounds can be of different frequency, pitch, loudness, and/or duration.
In the preferred form, the novel propulsion toys comprise a safe projectile comprising a propulsion device with an elastomeric body that is connected to a propulsion tube containing a movable magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material). Each of the novel propulsion toys also feature a base control unit with a magnetic coil and preferably a flash tube, which cooperate with the magnetic coil to provide a magnetic impulse reaction system and engine in the base unit, to propel the projectile. Electric circuitry including the sound circuitry is preferably contained in the base unit. No electrical circuitry need be contained in the projectile. Advantageously, the safe propulsion toys do not contain any combustible fuels, compression springs, or sharp edges which could injure children or spectators.
A preferred process to propel the toy, comprises matingly engaging a toy projectile to the base unit of the toy before propelling the projectile. The projectile comprises a propulsion device with an elastomeric propulsion body which is preferably connected to a propulsion tube that contains a moveable magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material). The projectile can be in the form of: a toy rocket, a toy airplane, a toy glider, a wheeled vehicle toy, a toy automobile, a toy sports utility vehicle, a toy truck, a toy bullet, etc. The base unit comprises at least one magnetic coil and preferably a flash tube and audible signaling device (audible generator). Before the projectile is propelled, the propulsion tube is placed through the center of the coil, the propulsion body is adjusted to a storage position or pre-launch position, such that the propulsion body is seated against and positioned forwardly of the base unit, and the magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material) is positioned rearwardly of the coil.
In order to propel the projectile, the coil is energized to emit a magnetic impulse(s). Preferably, a flash of light and sound are emitted upon energizing the coil to simulate an explosion, fire, ignition and propulsion. In the preferred process, the flash of light is generated and the coil is energized with the assistance of a flash tube connected in series with the coil. Once the coil is energized, the magnetic impulse causes the magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material) to move, accelerate and pass through the coil. The accelerating magnetically attractable propellant (magnetic material) will then strike and impact against the rearward portion of the propulsion body connected to the propulsion tube so that the kinetic energy is transferred from the magnetically attractable propellant to the propulsion body. Desirably, the magnetically attractable propellant strikes the propulsion body with sufficient force to magnetically propel the projectile away from the base unit.
In the preferred forms, the safe attractable toys each have a base and a propulsion device. The base unit comprises a seat and defines a cavity that provides a propulsion tube-receiving receptacle. An electromagnetic coil annularly surrounds the cavity to emit a magnetic impulse(s) when energized. An electronic circuit activates and energizes the coil. Desirably, a flash tube is connected to the circuit to emit a flash of light to visually simulate an explosion, fire, and ignition upon activation of the coil. The magnetic impulse(s) from the coil electromagnetically propels the propulsion device away from the base unit.
Each of the propulsion devices of the preferred embodiments can comprise an elongated propulsion tube to engage the propulsion tube-receiving receptacle of the base unit. A plug, such as a foam rubber plug, is provided to close one of the ends of the propulsion tube. An elastomeric propulsion body is secured to the propulsion tube to close the other end of the propulsion tube. Preferably, the propulsion body has a front head portion with a resilient nose. A back (rearward) portion of the propulsion body is fixedly securely and connected to the propulsion tube. Before the projectile is propelled, the back portion of the propulsion body is positioned upon and engages the seat of the base unit. The propulsion tube preferably can have a hollow interior which contains a magnetically attractable metal propellant (magnetic material). The magnetically attractable propellant provides a driver which is propelled by the magnetic impulse(s) of the coil when the coil is energized. In the preferred embodiments, the magnetically attractable propellant travels, moves and accelerates from the rearward plug, at location rearwardly of the coil, through the interior of the coil, to the propulsion body at a location forwardly of the coil, when the propulsion tube is in the receptacle of the base unit and the coil is energized. The magnetically attractable metal propellant is propelled against, strikes, abuttingly engages, and transfers its kinetic energy to the propulsion body with .sufficient force and momentum to propel the projectile away from the base unit.
In the preferred embodiments, the circuit includes a capacitor connected in parallel with the coil, preferably a single induction coil. Preferably, the coil cooperates with the flash tube and circuit to provide a light-emitting magnetic impulse reaction system.
The magnetically attractable propellant can be of any shape but preferably comprises a metal ball, a metal pellet, a metal cylinder, or a metal disc.
A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in the following description and appended claims takes in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.